In Ohio, as in many states, long-term supports and services are administered by multiple agencies and have complex, fragmented and often duplicative intake, assessment and eligibility functions. For the consumer, figuring out how to obtain long term services and supports is confusing. Over many years, across many service delivery systems, consumers have repeatedly asked for a single, consistent, reliable way to access services.
In 2005, the Department of Aging received a grant from the U.S. Administration on Aging and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to develop an Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC). Cuyahoga county was chosen as the pilot site for Ohio's project, with Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging as the lead agency in the effort. As conceived in the grant, the purpose of the center was to create a single point of entry into the long-term services and supports system.
Rather than creating a single-point of entry into the long-term system, Ohio's approach is to create an Aging and Disability Resource Network (ADRN). The network approach recognizes that individuals may access long-term services and supports in many different ways. The goal is to ensure that no matter where a consumer first makes contact with the service delivery system, it's the right place for them to be.
The ADRN brings together the diverse organizations that play a role in long-term services and supports to determine ways to streamline access to services for the consumer. The coordination among agencies behind the scenes provides seamless delivery of services to the consumer. The partner organizations in the pilot project in Cuyahoga county include: LEAP-the regional Center for Independent Living, United Way First Call for Help/2-1-1, the County Department of Senior and Adult Services, the city's Office on Aging, the Long-term Care Ombudsman, Care Star, Concordia Care, OSHIIP, Easter Seals and Mature Services. Representatives from other community-based organizations are participating as well.
To learn more about the ADRN project in Cuyahoga County, visit the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging Web site.
